NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Troy Terry scored on a power play with 2:54 left, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 Thursday night putting them close to clinching the third seed in the Pacific Division for the postseason.
The Ducks came into the regular-season finale third in the Pacific with five different scenarios still possible to lock down the final playoff slots. This win, combined with Edmonton needing only a point against visiting Vancouver, means Anaheim likely starts the first round Monday at Edmonton.
Anaheim also took the season series against Nashville 2-1, though the Ducks go into the postseason 2-6-2 over their final 10.
Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, Alex Killorn and Tristan Luneau scored for Anaheim. Mikael Granlund had three assists.
Steven Stamkos scored twice and had an assist for Nashville, giving him 42 goals this season. Filip Forsberg scored two goals, giving him 40, and the Predators a pair of 40-goal scorers. Luke Evangelista and Ryan Ufko added two assists apiece.
Gauthier scored 96 seconds into the game to put Anaheim up with a snap shot for his 41st of the season.
The Predators, eliminated from contention Monday night, answered with Stamkos scoring his 41st midway through the first off an assist from rookie Cole O'Hara, making his NHL debut.
Forsberg scored on a tip-in on the man advantage at 15:54 for a 2-1 lead. LaCombe's shot from near the blue line got through traffic tying it at 2 with 20.8 seconds left in the first.
Killorn's slap shot gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead at 4:33 of the second. Forsberg tied it at 14:37 with a shot from the slot, then Stamkos put Nashville up 4-3 with a wrister just outside the left crease on the power play.
Luneau tied it at 4:17 of the third scoring off the rebound of Granlund’s shot.
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